The Christian Reformed Church, a Shoulder to Shoulder member denomination, led a 4-part video webinar series in December 2015 on “What to Say at the Christmas Party,” to help people engage in conversations about Syrian refugees and Muslims this holiday season. The 10-minute videos are linked below, each responding to a common claims and questions regarding refugees and Muslims: Are Refugees Terrorists? Why Don’t Closer Countries Take the Refugees? What about Sharia Law? We need to be…

(Length: 4:23) Though Peter Casey was raised by a Christian dad and a Jewish mom, he converted to Islam as a young teenager. Now, he uses social media to find out what it means to be Muslim in America.

(Length: 8:50) ABC News report answers questions American’s may have about Islam and American Muslims. This report discusses the basics of Islam and the similarities and differences between Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

(Length: 8:31) In the wake of 9/11, American Muslims say they have experienced increased discrimination and suspicion — and violations of their civil liberties. “We are misunderstood, and therefore, the challenge has been how we can reintroduce ourselves in a language that is familiar with our fellow American neighbors,” says Imam Yahya Hendi of Georgetown University.

(Length: 5:22) “I wish that non-Muslims knew that Islam is not a religion of war, it’s peace. It’s a religion of peace.” – Ayan Malek. In the video above, members of the Malek family discuss Islam and explain their frustrations with the common misconceptions that are perpetuated in United States’ mainstream media.

(Length: 4:28) “We are just submitting to the will of our God and that’s why we follow him and dress the way we dress.” – Shaheen Malek. In this video, the Malek women discuss why they chose to wear headscarves, or hijabs, to cover their head and hair and how it serves their God.

(Length: 5:39) “My American Dream is just to make my parents happy because they moved here for my brother’s and my future.” – Tanzeem Malek. In the video above, the family members discuss the trials they faced in transitioning to their new country, the reasons they stayed, and the dreams they have for their future.

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Together We Stand

We call upon our fellow citizens to treat each other with compassion and honesty, and to foster an ethical commitment to bedrock American values such as pluralism and religious freedom, mutuality and respect—values also at the core of our religious traditions.